GB2203393A

GB2203393A - Cross-members for goods vehicles

Info

Publication number: GB2203393A
Application number: GB08707880A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Goodwins
Original assignee: FRUEHAUF CRANE Ltd
Current assignee: FRUEHAUF CRANE Ltd
Priority date: 1987-04-02
Filing date: 1987-04-02
Publication date: 1988-10-19
Anticipated expiration: 2007-04-02
Also published as: GB8707880D0; GB2203393B

Abstract

A skeletal semi-trailer goods vehicle has a chassis (10) formed with longitudinal I-beam members (12). Bolsters (25) of box-section welded into apertures in the webs of the longitudinal members 12 are strengthened by welded-in plates (27). For convenience in positioning, a pair of plates (27) is connected by link (29) and welded in position by a welding gun (30) having an extended nozzle (32). The plates (27) serve to prevent the bolster (25) collapsing under load and enable a hollow box-section bolster to be used in positions along the longitudinal (12) where the web depth is small. <IMAGE>

Description

CROSS-MEMBERS FOR GOODS VEHICLES This invention relates to a goods vehicle having a reinforced cross-member.

In the construction of skeletal semi-trailer goods vehicles there is a difficulty in fitting hollow boxsection bolsters which should in principle be stronger than equivalent I-sect ion bolsters. The problem that has been encountered is that in regions where the web depth of the chassis longitudinals is only slightly above the depth of the bolster, so that the required web aperture leaves little material remaining, the joints between the longitudinals and the bolsters fail under the shear loads applied to chassis longitudinals.

Accordingly the invention provides a goods vehicle having a chassis consisting of a pair of longitudinal members interconnected through webs of said members by cross-members, wherein at least one cross-member is of hollow section and is reinforced by welded-in plates lying in planes in or adjacent to the plane of each web.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1 and 2 are, respectively, a side view of a tandem axle skeletal semi-trailer and a transverse section of the chassis; Figure 3 is a fragmentary view of a chassis longitudinal showing a conventional cross-member or "bolster" in cross-section; Figure 4 is a fragmentary view of a chassis longitudinal showing in cross-section a bolster according to the invention; and Figure 5 is a side view of a bolster removed from the chassis longitudinals to show its internal structure.

In Figures 1 and 2 a skeletal semi-trailer goods vehicle for carrying shipping containers comprises a chassis 10 having a pair of longitudinal I-beam members 12 and cross-members forming a frame structure. The chassis 10 has a front coupler including a depending king-pin 14, landing legs 16 and a tandem axle suspension 18 as is conventional in the trailer manufacturing art. It will be noted that the web depth of the I-beam members reduces as the king-pin 14 is approached and conventionally I-section cross-members or 11bolsters1? 20 are welded into apertures in the webs of the longitudinal members 12.To increase the strength of the bolsters, it has been proposed to change to bolsters 25 of square tubular section, but a problem arises in the neck region of the longitudinals 12 that the depth of the bolsters 25 is comparable with the web depth of the members 12, and the small amount of material available is insufficient to react the loads F, R without inducing high stress concentrations at the corners of the bolster 25. As a result, the welds to longitudinal member 25 may fail and the bolster may collapse or buckle.

This problem is solved, according to the invention, by the arrangement described in Figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings. A pair or reinforcing plates 27 are a close fit inside the bolster 25 and are connected by a link 29. The plates 27 and link 29 are inserted into the bolster 25 from one end and are moved to a position defined by the distance D in Figure 5 such that in the assembled vehicle each plate 27 will lie in or close to the plane of the webs of longitudinal members 12. The distance D may be defined by a jig (not shown) inserted into the bolster 25 from the end opposite to that from which the plates 27 are inserted and against which one of the plates 27 abuts to define the correct position. The plates 27 are then welded in position using a welding gun having a long nozzle, the jig being rotated to give convenient access to the whole periphery of the plates, after which the bolster 25 is fitted to apertured I-beam members in conventional manner. The plates 27 serve to prevent the bolster 25 collapsing under load and enable a square box section bolster to be used in positions along the longitudinal 12 where the web depth is small.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A goods vehicle having a chassis consisting of a pair of longitudinal members interconnected through webs of said members by cross-members, wherein at least one cross-member is of hollow section and is reinforced by welded-in plates lying in planes in or adjacent to the plane of each web.

2. A vehicle according to Claim 1, wherein the or each cross-member is reinforced by a pair of plates rigidly connected by a link whose length is the same as the spacing between the longitudinal members.

3. A vehicle according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the cross-members are of box section.

4. A goods vehicle according to Claim 3, which is a semi-trailer or drawbar trailer.

5. A goods vehicle having hollow cross-members reinforced substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.